Lemon meringue pie can be a tricky thing to conquer — these lemon meringue cookies are the perfect solution. Better yet, the recipe is made for two so you don’t have to worry about overindulging!
Remember how I said that Irish Coffee Ice Cream Pie (with whiskey ganache!) was one of the desserts we made to help us celebrate my dad’s birthday this past weekend?
Well, meet the other one, Lemon Meringue Cookies.
On that list was a recipe from a beautiful new cookbook called Dessert for Two by Christina Lane of the fabulous blog called, you guessed it: Dessert for Two.
Homemade lemon curd layered on top of an airy meringue — a dollop of whipped cream and some graham cracker crumbs land these cookies in perfection territory. And MUCH easier than pie.
Make a double batch of these if you are serving more than two. If you’re lactose-intolerant, replace the whipped cream with a non-dairy whipped topping. Omit the graham cracker crumb topping to make this recipe gluten-free.
I know my mom will be coming back to this recipe — a simplified (yet just as delicious) version of my dad’s favorite dessert. Lower in calories, and enough for just the two of them.
More Citrus Desserts
- lemon clementine crinkle cookies
- lemon pudding – only 3 ingredients!
- Meyer lemon parfaits
- grapefruit cheesecake bars – so easy!
- honey lemon shortbread cookies
- honey, lemon, apricot and pine nut short bread cookies
- lemonade cookies
Lemon Meringue Cookies
Ingredients
For the Meringue:
- 1 large egg white
- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
For the Lemon Curd:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 2 large egg yolks
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- pinch of salt
For the Whipped Cream:
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
For Assembly:
- 1 graham cracker, crushed
Instructions
To make the meringue:
- Preheat the oven to 200°F. Line a small sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- In a medium-size bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the egg white and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Then, slowly stream in the sugar while beating. Beat until the mixture has stiff peaks.
- Using two spoons or a piping bag, make four equal-size disks about 4 inches in diameter of the meringue mixture on the prepared sheet pan.
- Bake for 40 minutes, and then turn off the oven and let the meringues cool inside the oven for 1 hour. Do not open the oven door.
To make the lemon curd:
- In a medium-size bowl, using an electric mixer on high speed, beat together the butter and sugar until well combined. Add the egg and egg yolks one at a time while beating constantly. Finally, stream in the lemon juice and salt. The mixture may look a bit curdled – it’s fine.
- Pour the lemon curd into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat to thicken. Stir constantly to avoid burning. Once simmering, remove from the heat and let cool.
To make the whipped cream:
- In a separate medium-size bowl, using an electric mixer on high speed, whip the cream with the powdered sugar until soft peaks form. Set aside.
To Assemble:
- Dollop the lemon curd on top of each meringue, add a spoonful of whipped cream, and sprinkle graham cracker crumbs on top before serving.
Notes
- Recipe used with permission from Dessert for Two by Christina Lane.
- Make this recipe gluten-free by omitting the graham cracker crumbs on top.
- Make this recipe lactose-free by omitting whipped cream. Use a non-diary whipped topping instead.
- Recipe is easily doubled.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!Verdict: Love these fun lemon meringue pie cookies. They have all the great flavors of lemon meringue pie, but without the headache.
Husband’s take: I think he opted for the ice cream pie, but the rest of the family loved these cookies, even E.
Changes I would make: None are necessary. I will say that we cheated and used pre-made whipped cream. Totally worked, but homemade is always better.
Difficulty: Slightly time consuming, but easy. Much of the time is hands-off.
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book from the author at no cost. I was not required or pressured at all to write this review. All opinions are as always my own. Some cookbooks live in my office, others live in my kitchen. This one has a spot in the kitchen.
This brilliant! I often find meringue too sweet, but just like with the pie, the lemon curd will cut that. Yum!
These look so cute and it is nice to have some desserts just for two!
Oh man I just got her book the other day, so excited to dive in!
I love meringues and lemon curd, a great combination for sure!
happy pie day
I love that these make 2 cookies! Freshly baked cookies are my weakness, and it’s so hard not to eat way too many haha.
These are beautiful and perfect for a spring treat. :D
What a fun reinvention of lemon meringue pie!
I love the idea of a cookie that is like a mini pie! I don’t have Christina’s cookbook yet but I need to get a copy!
These little cookies are so adorable! My dad has always loved lemon meringue too so I’m betting he would go crazy over these cookies.